Chapter 104 - 85: She Paid to Win
The Empress Dowager took the paper Jiang Xian handed her. After a brief glance, she had her nanny put it away.
"Noble Lady Gu has been thoughtful, and the Noble Consort has been diligent. They should be rewarded."
She rewarded each of them with a golden bracelet.
When Noble Princess Consort Rong saw it, her annoyance vanished.
It wasn’t that the gold bracelet was particularly valuable. She had seen countless treasures, spoiled as she was by her parents and having been a Noble Consort for many years. Rare and precious jewels were sent to her palace by the cartload; she was the last person to care about gold and silver. During lunch, when the Empress Dowager and her nanny were not present, she said to Jiang Xian, "It’s useless even if you ruin your eyes over it. She won’t read it. Do you really think coming to Changle Palace is for studying Buddhist principles? With all your enthusiasm, you’d better watch out, or the Empress Dowager might grant you leave to go worship Buddha at a temple—as a nun."
She paused. "I misspoke. Perhaps you could go to Yunju Temple. It’s closer. I could even see you when I go to offer incense."
Yunju Temple was the temple inside the Imperial Palace.
It was a bit remote, of course, but its advantage was that one didn’t have to leave the palace.
Jiang Xian blinked, then suddenly smiled. "Is the Noble Consort worried I’m wasting my efforts?"
"..."
Her sharp, biting ridicule was interpreted as concern. Noble Princess Consort Rong was speechless with anger.
But then she heard Jiang Xian continue with a laugh, "How could I possibly have the ability to make the Empress Dowager scrutinize my crude writing and shallow understanding? The only reason I stayed up all night to write down my thoughts on Buddhism was simply because I wanted to. The fact that the Empress Dowager was willing to accept it is already an extraordinary honor."
Noble Princess Consort Rong, who enjoyed immense favor and came from a noble background, likely couldn’t understand Jiang Xian’s "loyal employee" mentality. If she went to the trouble of pleasing someone, she expected three parts in return for every one part she invested. If the other person didn’t respond, she’d feel wronged and would never again try to cozy up to someone who was giving her the cold shoulder. But the first thing you learn on the job is to accept that you’ll be doing endless "pointless work."
’And what a major player the Empress Dowager is.’
’Last season’s palace-fighting champion, this season’s honorary board member.’
’And a Noble Lady, at the end of the day, is at best a manager. For a work report written by a manager to even reach her, the moment she accepted it was mission accomplished. I couldn’t possibly expect her to read it seriously.’
Noble Princess Consort Rong said, "You’re so humble now, but you love being a thorn in my side. If you used even a fraction of the effort you use to please the Empress Dowager on me, perhaps I’d find you a little more agreeable."
"My Lady, you have many misunderstandings about me. If you find me so displeasing to the eye, then perhaps you shouldn’t look at me."
"Hah. I’ll look all I want."
The Noble Consort was throwing a tantrum, a hint of spoiled arrogance in her tone.
Jiang Xian tilted her head. "Then look away, My Lady! Look right here. I’m quite beautiful from this angle!"
Noble Princess Consort Rong was taken aback by her brazen frankness.
Her gaze drifted over, and indeed, from her angle, Jiang Xian’s neck was long and graceful. The superior line of her jaw was taut and elegant, and her thick, slightly curled dark lashes fluttered, utterly captivating.
[The host’s appearance has aroused the Noble Princess Consort’s jealousy. Palace Fighting Points +5]
[Verbal spar with He Guifei. Palace Fighting Points +10]
...
Listening to the system prompts in her head, Jiang Xian happily ate two more pieces of stir-fried vegetables.
She couldn’t pick up Buddha Rice at the Empress Dowager’s place anymore.
So she had to come to the Noble Consort’s side to farm some points.
Fortunately, the Noble Consort was very cooperative. She would explode with just a little prodding.
Seeing the Noble Consort had fallen silent, Jiang Xian pressed her advantage. "In your opinion, Sister-in-law, am I beautiful?"
"Not half as beautiful as I am." Noble Princess Consort Rong’s voice was distorted with strain.
"A common face like mine naturally can’t compare to you, Sister-in-law."
Jiang Xian sighed. "Unfortunately, the Emperor just happens to like my type."
Based on the Palace Fighting Points the system awarded her, Jiang Xian was certain that remark had struck the Noble Consort’s rawest nerve. Her face ashen, she slammed down her chopsticks. Beside her, Qiu Yun furiously scolded, "Noble Lady Gu, how audacious! You dare to flaunt the Holy Favor and provoke our Lady! No matter how much the Emperor likes you, you are still just a Noble Lady. Our Lady’s status is not something you can question! Apologize to Her Ladyship at once! If you upset her and harm her health, ten of you wouldn’t be enough to compensate!"
This was a classic case of the villain playing the victim.
Before Jiang Xian entered the palace, Noble Princess Consort Rong was the one who loved to flaunt the Holy Favor the most.
She was like an employee at a major corporation who keeps their ID badge on after work, desperate for others to notice.
"Qiu Yun, that’s enough," said Noble Princess Consort Rong, seething. She desperately wanted to have Jiang Xian dragged out and beaten twenty times with a cane, but it was just a thought. "The Emperor may like your type now, but for how long? I will be watching. You’d better pray to every god you know that the day you fall out of favor never comes."
Once the Emperor’s attention was no longer on Jiang Xian, she would be subjected to all sorts of torment.
Jiang Xian gave a faint smile.
"Thank you for the advice, My Lady. I’ll go pray for the Bodhisattva’s mercy right away."
***
Noble Princess Consort Rong thought that since she and Noble Lady Gu were confined to Changle Palace together, neither of them could do anything.
Everyone was at the same starting line; no one could get ahead of anyone else.
Little did she know, that very day Jiang Xian had given a finished embroidered sachet to a maid to deliver to Liang Yuyin, who served in the imperial court. She instructed him to place it in the mechanism, even specifying which hour to set it for. Upon hearing this, Liang Yuyin understood—Eunuch Sun from the Service Room was probably going home empty-handed today.
With the Noble Consort and Noble Lady Gu confined to Changle Palace, many other concubines tried to seize the opportunity to appear before the Emperor. This was reflected in the increased number of people trying to "accidentally" meet the Emperor in the Imperial Garden, and the generous "tributes" given to the Service Room. Sun Zizhong had been walking with a spring in his step recently, his pockets full.
There was a science to the placement of these name-tablets.
Those of high rank and those the Emperor had recently taken a special liking to had to be placed at the front; otherwise, it would be a crime if the Emperor asked about them. As for the rest, it was like a mobile game leaderboard. The ranking depended entirely on how much the concubines had "paid to win" at the Service Room. The more they paid, the closer to the front they were placed. What they were buying was that one-in-ten-thousand chance that the Emperor would see their name on the tablet and think of them.
And today, aside from the default front-row occupants, the one placed closest to the front was Guo Cairen.
Logically, the name-tablet of a concubine who had angered the Emperor should not have been placed so far forward.
But... Guo Cairen had simply paid too much!
In order to stage a magnificent comeback, Guo Cairen had taken out the dowry her family sent her into the palace with and spent it all on bribing Eunuch Sun of the Service Room. If she could regain favor in one fell swoop, it would all be worth it.
A hefty sum—two top-tier payments, rounded up to a full 1,300 taels of silver—just to be placed in the front row. A visit from the Emperor was not guaranteed. Although Sun Zizhong wished he could ensure a return on such a large investment, he had no power to make the Emperor choose her. He was only selling a better chance; he couldn’t promise a win.
"Emperor, Sun Zizhong is waiting outside the door."
Liang Yuyin went inside to announce him.
The Emperor was looking over his memorials and didn’t even raise his head. "Let him in."
Eunuch Sun’s ears were incredibly sharp.
Hearing from outside that the Emperor’s voice sounded like he was in a good mood, he guessed that a name-tablet would be flipped today. He walked in cheerfully, holding the tray of tablets high with both hands.
The Emperor put down his memorial.
The Emperor reached out for the tablets.
The Emperor...
Just as his hand was about to touch Guo Cairen’s tablet, the self-sounding clock chimed softly.